Unraku was a puppetry company in Toronto, Canada that designed, built and performed puppetry for stage and screen. They also taught puppeteering workshops.
 Unraku is a Toronto-based collective of artists, puppeteers and puppet builders who get together to create sort-of-Bunraku puppetry we call "Unraku"!
Photo credit: Unraku |  From left to right:
Top row: Robin Polfuss, Andrew Young, Amanda Farquharson.
Bottom row: Mathieu Rene, Stacey Gordon, Terri Crocker, Kelly Kirkham & myself Kristi Holt.
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Myself (the very pregnant one in black - yes, black IS slimming!) and Robin Polfuss of Unraku discussing mouth movement with puppets during an Unraku workshop. |
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 A shot of Unraku's Amazing Acro-ba-chicks performed live on stage for Pig and Sheep.
Photo credit: Unraku |  Close-ups of the puppets built by Toronto based puppet troupe, Unraku.
Photo credit: Unraku |  Puppeteering in a short film by Unraku entitled Jasper & Carl.
Left to right, Jason Amlin, Robin Polfuss & myself Kristi Holt.
Photo credit: Unraku |
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 Performing live onstage at an Unraku Puppet Slam in Toronto at The Cameron House with other members of Unraku. |  Performing live onstage at an Unraku Puppet Slam in Toronto at The Cameron House with other members of Unraku. |
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Unraku - Monster
Behind the scenes photos of "Monster" by Unraku.
Bunny puppets were created in my style of puppet - knitted, felted then hand sewn by the Unraku sewing team.
 Unraku - MonsterOne of the 100% wool felted puppets for Monster with knitted/felted handmade carrots.
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Unraku - MonsterThe entire cast of bunnies from Monster by Unraku.
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Unraku - MonsterA shot of the Monster on set attacking the bunnies cardboard city.
Photo Credit: Unraku |
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 Unraku - MonsterUnraku was all about team work. The original members were all very versatile in their skill sets. We decided collectively that we liked the look of my particular style of puppet for the bunny characters. So I used a knitting machine & my washing machine over & over to create the wool felt fabric for the puppets. The Unraku sewing team jammed into Robin's studio to sew all the bunny puppets together!
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Unraku - MonsterA gathering of unfinished bunny puppets waiting for various additions by the Unraku sewing team.
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Unraku - MonsterMyself and a bunny puppet in progress.
Photo Credit: Unraku |
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 Unraku - MonsterA close-up of one of the bunny puppets prior to the addition of arms.
Photo Credit: Unraku |  Unraku - MonsterA close up of one of the miniature bunny puppets on set.
Photo Credit: Unraku |
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Unraku - BearTown
Photos from behind the scenes on the set of Unraku's BearTown.
Kristi puppeteered Tumbles P. Bear with the assistance of Tumbles right hand puppeteer, Kelly Kirkham. Directed by Andrew Young.
Photo credits to Robin Hamill and Unraku.
 Unraku - BearTownMyself puppeteering/performing as Tumbles P. Bear answers the door. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself going over Tumbles P. Bear's lines with Alexander Winfield (Marshall the Moose, Nemesis). My partner Kelly Kirkham assisting. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself and my partner Kelly Kirkham posing as Tumbles P. Bear for some photos prior to shooting the opening scene of BearTown. |
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 Unraku - BearTownPuppeteers below set waiting. Myself in the centre, my puppeteering partner Kelly Kirkham to the right. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself and my puppeteering partner Kelly Kirkham taking direction from Andrew Young for the upcoming scene with Tumbles P. Bear. |  Unraku - BearTownTumbles P. Bear talking to his cockroach room-mates to let them know he is going to answer the door. |
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 Unraku - BearTownMyself puppeteering/performing Tumbles P. Bear as he answers the door. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself puppeteering/performing Tumbles P. Bear as he is speaking with Marshall the Moose at the door. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself puppeteering/performingTumbles P. Bear for Unraku's BearTown. (The safety glasses were for protection from the incoming attack of Ninja puppets.) |
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 Unraku - BearTownMyself puppeteering/performing Tumbles P. Bear. He is realizing that he is about to be bagged by a team of Ninjas. |  Unraku - BearTownWatching playback between takes with Tumbles P. Bear. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself and Tumbles P. Bear waiting under set. The dreamy look on my face is due to a new addition to my family, my daughter Alexandra. |
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 Unraku - BearTownMyself adjusting my cockroach puppet's sunglasses before we get into position for the next scene. |  Unraku - BearTownMyself and a musician cockroach puppet waiting for the upcoming scene. |
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